how raynham is increasing its green credentials and working towards a sustainable future

Raynham estate green credentials sustainability

 

From a parkland restoration scheme, planting 4500 native trees, 6 miles of SSSI Chalk Stream through to reducing fertiliser use by 50% by using digestate from our AD plant, Raynham continues to grow its green credentials.

  • Each year we sow 45 acres of wild bird food on the farm.
  • 35 acres of nectar and pollen mixes are sown
  • Six miles of SSSI chalk stream runs through the estate. The River Wensum which flows through the estate has been notified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and it is one of 16 rivers in England designated as a European Special Area of Conservation
  • 4,500 additional native trees have been planted this year, with more to come
  • 1000 acres of cover crops are planted through the winter months
  • 10,000 bees reside on the estate, this will soon rise to 50,000
  • Five acres of long grasses and wildflowers are maintained on Wild Meadow
  • The estate is home to a 225 acre solar farm generating 48,153MWh electricity and supplies enough clean energy to power 14,000 households, offsetting 21,460t of carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) a year.
  • 40,000 tonnes of digestive from the AD Plant on site is used as a natural fertiliser 

We apply this to the land as an organic fertiliser. This has not only increased the productivity of all crops, but it also improves the health and structure of the soil. So much so, we have reduced our reliance on artificial fertiliser by 50% and through improved farming techniques also reduced our use of chemicals by 20%, with an aim to reduce this further.